Blow Flies in Central Arkansas
Blow flies are one of the most common flies found around dead animals. Blow flies prefer unsanitary spaces and conditions, leading them to be vectors of disease pathogens, such as dysentery. Their appearance is bright and metallic and they are commonly found around institutional, industrial, commercial, and residential buildings near garbage dumps, slaughterhouses, recycling centers, and meat processing plants. These flies can pick up the faint smell of decay up to twelve miles from the source of origin. A decaying carcass is where the blow fly will attempt to lay her eggs.
Blow Fly Habitat
Blow flies are best in warm and humid weather. They usually lay their eggs on fish, dead animals, meat, or on decomposing organic matter such as animal manure, garbage, grass clippings, decaying vegetables, and poorly managed compost piles. In ideal temperatures, the development from an egg to an adult can occur in as little as seven days. Their presence has been noticed by homeowners when backyard trash cans will suddenly have a large emergence of maggots.
Blow Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers
Blow flies do not bite or sting. They are, however, strongly attracted to human foods and garbage, making cooking outdoors difficult when they are present. Since they are around garbage and animal feces, they are capable of transmitting disease to ready-to-eat human food. The main threat from blow flies is the potential spread of diseases like salmonella food poisoning, Cholera, Dysentery, parasitic worms, and many others.
If you are dealing with a blow fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.
